The Cat and the Songster
Le Chat et l’Oiseau
Jacques Prévert was a poet, humorist, and wrote films. Among others he wrote the screenplay of Les Enfants du Paradis, with its robust dialogue. He specialised in surrealist little verses, and Le Chat et l’Oiseau is an excellent example.
This is a (near) translation I undertook with the aim of preserving the spirit of the poem rather than a word for word version. I include the original.
The cat and the songster
Grief-stricken the villagers listen
to the swan-song of a bruised bird
who nevermore shall be heard.
It’s the only bird in the village
it’s the only cat in the village
who has devoured half is plumage.
The bird stops chirping
the cat stops purring
and its chops it stops licking.
The village renders its homage
to the now dead warbler
in the village funeral parlour.
Behind a small straw coffin
carried by a girl in tears
walks the guilty feline
blushing with shame to the ears.
Had I but known what pain I’d sown
says the cat, I’d have left him well alone
or opened wide my buccal hole
and swallowed him whole.
Afterwards I’d have sworn
that the poor bird had gone
that I saw him fly towards the sun.
You’d have felt some pain, a little sorrow
but would recover the day after tomorrow.
You must never leave things half done
Le chat et l’oiseau
Un village écoute désolé
Le chant d’un oiseau blessé
C’est le seul oiseau du village
Et c’est le seul chat du village
Qui l’a à moitié dévoré
Et l’oiseau cesse de chanter
Le chat cesse de ronronner
Et de se lécher le museau
Et le village fait à l’oiseau
De merveilleuses funérailles
Et le chat qui est invité
Marche derrière le petit cercueil de paille
Où l’oiseau mort est allongé
Porté par une petite fille
Qui n’arrête pas de pleurer
«Si j’avais su que cela te fasse tant de peine,
Lui dit le chat,
Je l’aurais mangé tout entier
Et puis j’aurais raconté
Que je l’avais vu s’envoler
S’envoler jusqu’au bout du monde
Là-bas où c’est tellement loin
Que jamais on n’en revient
Tu aurais eu moins de chagrin
Simplement de la tristesse et des regrets.»
Il ne faut jamais faire les choses à moitié.
